Sunday, August 9, 2015

Dunham's Cocoanut Dollhouse

I was fortunate while out antiquing yesterday to spot and procure this treasure!

Where? In Sublimity, Oregon, not far from our beautiful state capitol city of Salem. Why? A beautiful antiques show at the Union Hill Grange in some of the most beautiful scenery that planet earth has to offer.

Molly Mo's is the name of the show, and a fabulous and enchanting show it was; not too small and especially not too big. Just right with a group of very clever vendors.

Here is the story that came with my treasured dollhouse:

VERY RARE

DUNHAM'S COCOANUT DOLLHOUSE

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"Originally used as a packing crate for Dunham's shredded cocoanut packages, these dollhouses were an advertising premium.

No one is really sure how the houses were distributed after the cocoanut was sold, and they are hard to find today. Considering their original purpose, most remaining examples are in rough shape now, with water staining, torn and missing paper, and a prominent crack down the back, caused by the joining of the two planks used to fashion the crate's bottom. Even so, the house, with its fantastically detailed wallpapers, is a treasure, providing a peek into late Victorian domestic life."

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The furniture that came with the dollhouse was provided on a sheet and was cut out and created by the owner. I gleaned this picture off of Google. In printing it out, it became a little blurry. I would love to have someone print it out for me to actually make my own, but if not, I will just figure it out to the best of my a ability. And I certainly respect that one would never copy it to try to pass it off as old.

The furniture is extremely rare.

I was approached by a good sleuth, owner of the blog Flimsies and Fripperies, who shared some wonderful information on these rare doll houses. Do visit her and read what all she found! I am excited to report that in Salem, Oregon there was a grocery store ad claiming to have two of the doll houses. Well, the lady who sold me the dollhouse, said she got it at an estate sale in Lebanon, OR, which is a small, old town very near Salem. The people were hoarders and had mass stuff. So, I'm pretty sure my Dunham's Cocoanut Dollhouse, was one of those two! Thank you for the information, Kathy!

5 comments:

Christine - Your dollhouse is "cute as a quill" as they used to say, and you are lucky to have one in any condition. After reading your blog post, I looked at more of Dunham's Cocoanut dollhouses online (there are not many), and I feel in love with them. Unable to buy one, I turned my energy into researching them. I've pinpointed the time period in which they were made and how they were distributed. If you (or anyone) are interested in knowing more, let me know, and I will send you the link to my post. Kathy

Translate

My Doll Hannah, Early American Life, 2004

Past Design: Charlotte's House

Past Doll: Hattie C., 2007 (Pre-Greiner)

Prims Magazine, October, 2010

I am proud to say I am the only doll maker invited to be in The Country Living Guild of Artisans.

This honor came as a great surprise, for I had no idea that such a Guild even existed. See Country Living Magazine, February, 2009.

MY Queen Anne Pansy Poppet in Prims, October, 2010

My Doll Emma, Early American Life, August, 2005

A PDF of Dolls Magazine's Story About My Doll Making

Click on the picture to read the article.

A PDF of one of my IN PRINT: Somerset Life

Click on the photo to read the article.

My Slip-INs

Just a note to say that my slip-ins only stand about three to six inches tall. They look very large in the article. These are what they referred to as Paper Dolls in the article Passion for Paper Dolls.

Some of My Slip-Ins

Publicity

Early American Life, Christmas ~ 1987

Country Living Magazine ~ October, 1990

Holly Berry Hill Catalogue ~ 1999 - 2000

Country Collectibles ~ Summer, 2003

Early American Life ~ My Doll Hannah, Artisan Directory Issue ~ 2004

Dolls Magazine November, 2004

Early American Life ~ My Doll Emma, Artisan Directory Issue ~ 2005

Warner Bros. Film "Felicity" ~ two of my Tess dolls as props in the store in Colonial Williamsburg. ~ 2005

Oregon Home ~ May/June ~ 2006

Early American Life ~ My doll, Maggie ~Holiday Directory ~ 2007

Somerset Life ~ My Slip Ins ~ Autumn, 2008

Country Living Magazine ~ Inducted into their Artist Guild as the first dollmaker ~ February, 2009

Country Victorian ~ Winter, 2010

Prims ~ Autumn, 2010

Romantic Country ~ Winter, 2013

Maché Heads ~ 19th C. Dolls as Toys

Beautiful Old Fashioned Dolls

Swaddled Dollies

Two of my Tess styled Queen Anne dolls are pictured in the movie Felicity